Common bathroom mistake that can put you at risk of deadly cancer, expert warns
Storing sun cream in the bathroom could make it less effective at guarding against deadly cancer, a doctor has warned.
The hot steam from showers and baths can cause the protective ingredients in the cream to break down, meaning the product can fail to prevent dangerous skin damage, according to specialist Dr Ed Robinson.
It means millions who keep their SPF in bathroom cabinets could be at risk of deadly disease, he added.
Both warm temperatures and direct sunlight,' reduce the effectiveness of the sunscreen and leave your skin unprotected,' Dr Robinson said.
'Using degraded SPF means you are not getting the full protection advertised on the bottle.
'This increases your risk of sunburn, premature ageing, and, more seriously, skin cancer.
'In some cases, broken-down ingredients can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions.'
Instead, sun creams should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.
Dr Robinson, who runs his own aesthetics practice in Cheshire, urged the public to check their bottles of sunscreen for signs that the active ingredients have degraded.
This includes a change in texture—it could be runnier, lumpier or the formula may have separated. This means it is likely to apply unevenly, leading to 'patchy' protection.
A foul smell or darker, yellowish colour usually means your sunscreen isn't as able to do its job as it should be, the expert said, adding to always check the expiration date too.
He advised to keep the product away from car dashboards and glove boxes, windowsills and bags that are exposed to the sun.
As the summer months are approaching, slathering on the sunscreen is the best way to avoid skin damage. Experts recommend wearing at least SPF 30 on warm days.
The most well-known type of harmful sun rays are UVA and UBV.
UVB rays hit the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) and cause the most sunburn, while UVA rays penetrate much deeper and contribute to ageing. Both are ultraviolet, and are known to cause skin cancer.
A shocking 90 per cent of skin cancer cases in the UK are a direct result of too much exposure to the sun and sunbeds, according to Cancer Research.
Researchers have projected a record high of 20,800 cases last year and there has been a seven per cent rise in the deadly disease in UK adults aged 25-49.
Meanwhile, those over the age of 80 have seen a rise of 57 per cent over the past decade.
Despite increasing awareness of the disease, 45 per cent of people in the UK don't wear SPF every day, according to an independent YouGov survey.
The majority of people miss out parts of their body when they apply sun cream, risking sunburn which can lead to skin cancer, studies show.
A 2015 survey found 58 per cent of people forget to protect 'sun terraces'—areas including the nose, the shoulders and the soles of the feet.
They also commonly forget to protect the back of the neck, the ears, and the tops of their feet.
The other most frequently missed body parts were the the top of their head, the middle of the back, the toes/feet and the eye lids.
It comes as the Skin Cancer Foundation warned that a history of five or more sunburns doubles your risk on the deadly skin cancer melanoma.
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